To be honest, this book probably isn’t for everyone because it is not angry, clever, or political, as books about gender sometimes are. I tried to write a book that would explain some of the male behaviors that women find most perplexing, and I tried to write it with compassion for both genders. My hope is to improve relationships between men and women, not further the division.

If you have ever wondered why men do some of the seemingly absurd things they do, perhaps this book will help. I’m not talking about the little things, like men’s difficulty locating the clothes hamper or our fascination with the remote control. I’m talking about big issues, like why an otherwise good and loving man can disappear into his job and neglect his family, or why men avoid important discussions, or why some of us transform from Mr. Excitement to Mr. Couchpotato after a few years of marriage.

More importantly, you’ll find plenty of practical tips for communicating with the less talkative gender. Plus, there are lots of entertaining and insightful comments from dozens of real-life men who contributed their thoughts to the book.